Railroad-crossing.



M. M. ROBERTS.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNB4, 1913.

1,096,757, Patented May12,1914.

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UTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARION M. ROBERTS, .OF GOSSETT, ILLINOIS.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION M. Roena'rs, a citizen of the United States, resident of Grossett, in the county of White and State of Illinois, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Railroad-Crossings; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention with the cover plate and crossing rails removed, the turning posts being in position for an open track in one direction, and the signal being up for the closed track. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the lever thrown to adjust turning posts for an open track in the opposite direction and the signal being up for the closed track, the locking device being shown as in engagement to lock the posts. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view partly broken away showing a turning post, crossing rails and at the right hand side showing the cover plate and opposite the turning post the slide plate thereof being removed. Fig. 6 is a detail top plan view of one of the turning posts. Fig. 6 is a detail side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a detail bottom plan view of one of the turning posts.

The invention has relation to railroad crossings, and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of devices, as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, the numeral 2, indicates a foundation, usually of concrete, at the place of crossing of the railway tracks. 3, represents a metal casting or supporting frame having the general. form of the crossing tracks, and being designed to provide bearings for the working parts of the mechanism, and to sustain the metallic platform or cover plate 4, and the cross rails thereon, said rails being indicated at 5 and 6.

An opening 7, is provided through the cover plate 4, to give access to the machinery in the recess between the bars 9, of theframe 3, other portions of the machinery being ac- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 4, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 771,678.

cessible between the bar-extensions or offsets 10, of said frame, below the cover plate 4. The frame and cover plate are designed to be securely anchored in or to the foundatlon.

The rail-sections employed in this crossmg may be made each in two parts laid side by side, with a casting between them, and bolted together.

At the unctions of the rails, are provided upright bearings 12, of cylindrical form, to receive the cylindrical turning posts 14, and each bearing is made eccentric to the point of crossing of the lines of the inner or bearmg edges of the rails. In conformity with this provision, each turning post is cut away or shouldered to provide a wheel bearing .15, somewhat beyond the axial center, in such wise as to provide a strong bearing surface eccentric to the axis of the post.

Fish plates 16, of the proper shape, are provided in the exterior angles of the crossing, to brace and strengthen the construction.

The turning posts 14, which provide for the continuity of the wheel bearings of the crossing, having each more than half of the material of the top of the est retained, are designed not only to provi e strong surfaces for the wheels to run upon, but also, to obviate accident, by preventing a wheel flange from moving behind or striking the corner of the bearing, should the post he a little loose, or lack a little of being in exact position. These turning posts are in connection with mechanism below the crossing and in the steel frame, whereby they are operated from a rod or lever 17, in the watch tower or other suitable place, in such wise that the operator simply by moving the lever provides a continuous rail for one road and at the same time blocks the other road. To this end each turning post is provided with gear teeth 18, in circular series, near its lower end, a horizontal channel 19, above said teeth and a steadying projection 20, below said teeth, said projection being designed to engage a bearing 21, of the frame.

In lateral channels 22, of the frame, having enlargements 23, around the post bearings 12, are slide plates 24, having circular bearings 25, designed to engage the channels of the posts and serving to hold them down to position while allowing free turning motion. These plates also project over longitudinal channels 26, which are at a deeper level in the frame, and serve to hold rack bars, and are operated by means of the switch lever 17 in connection with a series of levers and links, through the reciprocating bar 32. The bar 32, moves on bearings of the frame, and this bar, as well as the plates 30, are below the plane of the bottom of the cover plate. When the switch lever 17, is thrown in one direction, the turning posts are rotated one quarter around so as to bring their shouldered wheel bearings in line with the edges of the rails of one track, and when this lever is thrown in the opposite direction the posts are turned one quarter around in the reverse direction, so that their shoulder edges are in line with the edges of the racks ofthe other or crossing track.

The bearing plates and slide plates, as well as the turning posts are made removable in order to facilitate removal or repair.

At one end of the frame is a transverse slide 34, which is provided with looking projections or bolts 35, designed to engage notches or bearings 36, of the rack bars, to

lock such rack bars against movement. The 1 bearin s 36 of each rack bar. are located the 7 4. proper dlstance apart and in proper position to engage the locking bolt 35, at either:

end of the movement of the rack bar. And

the locking lever 37, is. designed to operate through its connections 38, and crank 39, to move the transverse slide by means of its slot 40, to engage the rack bars and lock them against movement.

The switch lever and the locking lever are vices of connection, causes the signal arm of the signal post of one trackto rise to pro ject in the direction of this open track. In a similar'manner, when the switch lever is thrown in the reverse direction and. rotates the turning posts back one quarter around,

as h-ereinbefore described, the signal arm of the signal post of the other track will be caused to rise or project in thedirectio-n of this track which is now open.

Vhat I claim is 7, 1. In a railroad crossing, turning posts, reciprocatory rack bars having operative engagement with said posts, a central reciprocatory slide between the rack bars, oppositely extending levers connected to said slide and having engagement w1th the rack bars, and an operating leverrfor sa d slide.

2. In a railroad crossing, turning posts,

reciprocatory rack bars havingrack teeth projecting in opposite directions and engaging said posts, acentral reciprocatory slide between the rack bars, oppositely extending levers having segment-gear heads engaging the rack bars and at their opposite ends operative connection with said slide, and an operatlng lever for the slide. 3. In a rallroad crossing, turmng posts,

reciprocatory rack bars having operative engagement with saidposts, a central reciprocatory slide located between the rack bars, oppositely extending levers connected to said slide and having engagement with. the rack bars, an operating lever for said slide, reciprocatory stop means for engagement with the rack bars, and a lever located adj acent to the first named lever and operating in a plane parallel to its plane ofmove ment for working said stop means. i

4. In a railroad crossing, a base, a frame secured to said base having cylindrical seats and parallel channels, a cover plate carrying the crossing rail bars having cylindrlcal seats, turning post-s working in the said seats, reciprocatory rack bars in said channels, a central reciprocatory slide located between the rack bars, oppositely extending levers connected to said slide and having engagement with said. rack bars, and an operating lever for said slide. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MARION M. ROBERTS. \Vitnesses:

JOHN CASH, OSCAR TATE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

